Personal computers are in wide use today and one popular style is the desktop computer that is mounted in a housing that occupies a relatively small space on a desktop. Some desktop computers are configured vertically, also known as a “tower” configuration. The tower configuration, which occupies desk space in addition to space for a monitor, also lends itself to being stored on the floor under a desk, thereby freeing up desk space. Some personal computers are configured horizontally, thereby occupying a larger amount of desk space than the tower configuration but allowing for a monitor to be located on its top.
One common feature of most personal computers, no matter what configuration, is that they have disk drives (e.g., optical disk drives) and they have connectors for connecting to networks and to various peripheral devices. The disk drives, such as CD and DVD drives, generally provide disk access via ejectable drawers that eject through an opening in the computer housing. A typical tower configuration may have one or more optical disk drive drawers that open through the front of the housing and a lift-up door behind which the various connectors are available.
Personal computers may often be found in industrial settings, such as test areas in manufacturing facilities. Such settings frequently are subjected to a large amount of airborne dust and/or other pollutants. Such pollutants can be detrimental to the mechanisms of disk drives, and can lead to drive failures.
Additionally, the manufacturing of faceplates for drive drawers that are customized to fit the form, material and color of a given computer housing is very expensive. There are “off-the-shelf” drive drawers available with standard colored faceplates that are substantially less expensive than custom faceplates.
Tower computers are often located on the floor underneath a user's desk. This location makes access the connectors for connecting peripheral equipment quite difficult, particularly with doors that must be lifted for access to the connectors. In addition, the lift-up doors block a users visual access to the connectors from a position above the access door.